The light of righteousness shone upon the Forbidden Forest, illuminating every dark corner.
Heads held high and spirits soaring, the three set off toward the valley.
As they passed the ash tree, Douglas instinctively glanced up.
"What is it?" Newt asked quietly.
Douglas shook his head. "Nothing. Just reminiscing about the old days. Did you come to the Forbidden Forest often when you were at school?"
Newt blinked. "Of course. There wasn't a patrolman like Hagrid back then, so getting into the Forbidden Forest was relatively easy, though it was more dangerous. What about you? I heard there weren't any snakes left on the outskirts for a while..."
Douglas raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I get another batch of even rarer snakes from the Gaunt family afterward? I added some variety to the Forbidden Forest."
"Wait!" Hagrid suddenly stretched out an arm ahead of them, stopping the two behind him.
A distinctly rank smell drifted over, accompanied by rustling in the darkness.
Douglas frowned.
Hagrid shouted into the darkness, "Back off! All of you, back off! It's me, Hagrid!"
The rustling in the surrounding bushes stopped instantly. Then dozens of basin-sized Acromantulas crawled out of the darkness. Uh-oh.
The one at the front stood half as tall as a person. Its black carapace gleamed with an oily sheen, and scraps of prey that had yet to dry still clung to its pincers. Its eight eyes fixed on Hagrid. "Hagrid... Father told us... not to hurt you..."
The giant spider slowly raised its forelegs, pointing at the two behind Hagrid.
"He never said to spare the other two."
Hagrid's expression changed.
"They're my friends!"
"Aren't friends food?" Another giant spider crawled down from the side, its voice full of greed. "Humans always say that. Prey has friends too. Deer have friends, boars